


solitary men

by menocchio



Series: balance [2]
Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series)
Genre: Dueling POVs, Gen, Post-Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:13:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27868978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/menocchio/pseuds/menocchio
Summary: maybe losing's a blood disease
Relationships: Robby Keene & Johnny Lawrence
Series: balance [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040426
Comments: 10
Kudos: 70





	solitary men

**Author's Note:**

> This formatting works best in a browser, works alright on a phone, and probably not great on an e-reader.

johnny  
(withdrawing)

| 

| 

robby  
(exploding)  
  
---|---|---  
  
| 

|   
  
maybe losing's a blood disease.  
  
something he passed on, like if  
shannon had drank while pregnant

| 

| 

something he can't help, he was  
doomed before he was born  
  
(and she stole a sip or two, he knows)

| 

| 

(not all mistakes are accidents, you know?)  
  
it's just,  
he thought the anger would go away  
if he wasn't around.

| 

| 

it's like,  
some people have families  
and he has excuses.  
  
article in the newspaper day after the fight.  
it said:  
eleven injured in what is being called  
a karate riot; one student in critical condition.  
one arrested.

| 

| 

note on the bottom of the intake form at juvie.  
it said:  
mother – rehab  
father – unemployed; estranged?  
no other living relatives.  
  
such a matter-of-fact way  
to explain a broken heart.

| 

| 

it struck him as a funny way  
to summarize a life.  
  
| 

|   
  
did you teach your son to fight? asks  
the social worker.

| 

| 

but where were you living last year? asks  
the social worker.  
  
my son's always fought.  
no, not like how you think.  
it was rough.  
but he was always a good kid, at least  
he loved his mom? _  
_and  
isn't that the same thing  
(please)  
tell me that's the same thing _._

| 

| 

in my boss's pool house.  
but wait, you don't understand.  
it was the best.  
the floors were made of this soft material  
tatami, maybe?  
anyway  
when i walked on it  
my footsteps  
didn't make a sound.  
  
| 

|   
  
couple weeks  
later,

| 

| 

second day  
inside,  
  
johnny's in a bar fight. he doesn't start it and he doesn't really finish it either, if he's being honest. this guy was running his mouth and johnny was tired. he gets so tired sometimes. don't other people ever get tired of all the bullshit? johnny says something and the guy and his buddies take a cheap shot—

| 

| 

three guys try jumping him; they think he's an easy mark. robby knows the drill: something-something-he-kinda-looks-like-a-girl and the stupid snickers that come along with it. robby could tell them he knows a girl who could have them all lying on the floor in under thirty seconds, but never mind—  
  
and then he's on the floor.  
he let's it happen.

| 

| 

it's easier if he just shows them.  
he makes it happen.  
  
and,  
if larusso could see him now  
he'd probably  
think, yeah  
that's where you belong.

| 

| 

well,  
the fight came to me, mr larusso  
and i'm starting  
to think  
it's not gonna go away.  
  
| 

|   
  
sometimes he thinks about miguel  
(miguel, always falling)  
  
miguel

| 

| 

miguel  
  
getting beat

| 

| 

shoving sam  
  
first time he managed a fly kick  
and checked if johnny saw it

| 

| 

going for his weak shoulder  
while his dad watched  
  
miguel in the diner  
solemn, listening

| 

| 

miguel at the door  
wary, apologetic  
  
(miguel, always falling)  
  
| 

|   
  
he tries not to think about daniel larusso.  
  
and how he let robby down.  
not in the teaching, but in the dumping.

| 

| 

and how robby let him down.  
all that training couldn't beat nature.  
  
dropping him like a new puppy  
on boxing day, after  
one mistake.  
but forget larusso; even he couldn't match  
a lifetime of johnny failing  
him.

| 

| 

he must've sensed  
it in robby:  
the fuck-up.  
it's what made his dad not even try,  
and finally wore out his mom – you know,  
him.  
  
| 

|   
  
he thinks  
(lying on his back at night  
staring at the ceiling  
choking on the truth)  
  
even if he could rewind his life,  
he knows it'd just play out the same.

| 

| 

why can't life have a back button?  
he'd hold it down and not let up.  
  
the special thing about screwing up  
is afterwards?  
it feels like it was inevitable.  
  
maybe it was all in johnny's  
head, becoming a better man.  
the appearance of new people,  
good people  
an illusion of movement, and he was

| 

| 

where was his balance  
now? did robby ever  
have it or was it all only a moment  
a breath  
suspended in time,  
  
standing still.

| 

| 

mid-flail.


End file.
